Final answer:
Belief in symbolic interpretation of Scriptures is linked to followers of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish mystic, and is part of a larger history involving thinkers like Maimonides, who also argued against biblical literalism.
Step-by-step explanation:
As a follower of the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, an individual would have believed that the Scriptures should be interpreted symbolically. The approach to interpretation of religious texts has evolved over time. Maimonides, a medieval Jewish thinker, argued against biblical literalism and for a symbolic understanding of Scriptures, suggesting that true knowledge of God is hindered by materialist conceptions and literalism. In a similar vein, the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg advocated for a symbolic interpretation of the Bible, finding in its pages deeper spiritual meanings rather than historical or literal facts. Moreover, this tradition continued with figures such as Paracelsus and later evolved into various forms, including 20th-century anthropological approaches to religious symbolism by scholars like Clifford Geertz.